Photographer's Note

I have been on a brief Western swing, visiting Los Angeles, California, and its highly intelligent suburb of Pasadena, where I gave a lecture. Pasadena is home to Caltech, one of the great academic gems in the world, the Huntington Museum and Library, the Norton Simon Museum, as well as to the Annual Rose Bowl Parade.

Following Los Angeles, we visited Las Vegas, Nevada just an hour by air from Los Angeles. A resort with the dubious title, "Sin City," because of its unusual level of social tolerance, is also known for a popular television commercial, "What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas!"

We had just emerged from a tour of The Mob Museum, a three story building devoted to the history of organized crime and law enforcement, when we came across this charming ventriloquist, flashing a gleaming smile. Spotting my safari hat, he called out to me through his dummy, "Hey, Indiana Jones... where are you from?" "Indiana!" I responded, and saw his smile become even more infectious... especially after I approached him and deposited a few dollars in his collection box

Backlit by a brilliant Las Vegas sun, my subject required illumination with a fill flash, lest he appear in silhouette. It is rare that I can shoot and submit a photograph on the same day, but in this instance, I was successful.

Hello again, dear Bulent,
Funny story indeed, your post makes me smile again.
I see on his jacket amazing mix of the Beatles and Sex Pistols. Excellent double portrait.
Are you going to Istanbul now?
I will send to your the photos from the Museum from my home computer.
Thanks again for our meeting in Glendale!
Best wishes from Eagle Rock!
Serghei

Hi Bulent. Don't know who has the most dazzling teeth, but they do make a cheerful pair. Did you manage to have an engaging dialogue with the dummy about matters pertaining to being and non being? Regards. Klaudio.

Hello Bülent,
This is an amusing and colorful picture. The ventriloquist has an infectious smile which he seems to have spread to his dummy. The flash helped you out well in these diffcult light conditions.
Kind regards,
Gert

Selam dear Bülent,
Somethimg quite different in your gallery ! Joyfull.
I was in 1994 in Las Vegas and quite impressed. But as it was a biz trip I didn't made much captures.
TFS and se you on 18th in İstanbul
Best regards
MESUT ILGIM

Hello dear friend
this shot brough to me memories from my
last visit to Salt Lake City through
Las Vegas 12 years before
you are right that Las Vegas is a resort
in a veritable oasis in the desert
but great experience to visit such a place
I liked your discussion about Indiana Jones
thanks for sharing such a photo with
us regards
Costantino

Greetings.
Interesting article about traveling with a description ...
Good time recording and contrast nicely demonstrated artist by the doll, beautiful colors.
Good work, nice captured moment, a beautiful doll and artist with a smile on his face.
Have a nice and successful day, all the best.
Paja.

I know you am almost never at home, but on these way I can enjoy of your trip, I hear not your lecture, but can look at to your pleasant picture with the black ventriloquist, but with superb tooth.
Excellent presentation.
Very well composition, TFS.

Hello Bulent,
I love it! The style, and the smiles, are great. Both the man and his dummy have a lot of personality. I like street performers who are able to easily pull people into their acts, while they exude friendliness and charm. Your hat was also quite the star in this meeting. :-)

This reminds me of an American tv show I used to watch as a kid back in 1960's but the name of the show escapes me. Good use of a shallow dof and the whimsical dummy steals the show at left. A fine head and shoulders portrait of the man at right too! Tfs!

Hello Bulent,
this is a very effective and captivating (double) portrait. It's full of energy, a very vivid and vibrant image and, although it looks spontaneous and makes an instant impact, there's much in it to study and explore too. I like very much the connection between the two subjects within the narrow vertical frame. The perspective and intricacy of the background add good context. You used the flash in a very effective way, there's a fine range of harmonious tonalities that makes certain details stand out. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a great day,
Ourania

A charming but also slightly scary street portrait! The double cheesy grins are the twin focusses of this photograph, but I can't help but look at the old bomber jacket with Union Jacks worn by the dummy. A strange throwback. Well captured.

Hi Bulent,
very funny and amusing scene and note:) I have never seen a artist with a dummy in a street performance, but i remeber them from TV when i was a kid. I was very fascinated and i was not sure if it was living or just a doll:) A wonderful street photograph from Vegas, tfs!

Selamlar Bülent Bey,
I hope the weather in Istanbul is treating you better than it treated me. It would be a shame if you could not visit Dolmabahçe Palace. In 2006, when I went there with my sister, we took the Turkish tour and I was allowed to take photos inside the palace without a flash. In 2011, we went with the rest of my family and took the English tour during which I was not allowed to take photos. I wonder if the difference was in policies changing over the years or discrimination against foreigners.
It looks like the dummy is the richer of the two characters in this photo. Fill-in flash in otherwise well illuminated locations is the sole reason for my use of flash these days. An excellent portrait of these two characters, I am afraid the dummy is the more handsome one!
I wish you the best for the remainder of your trip in Istanbul.
Esenlikle,
MT

Wow, that's a million dollar smile - and I love his warm brown eyes. You captured a real personality here, and have handled the light so expertly. I find photographing people with darker skin very difficult without a fill or full flash. Here, you and this lovely gentleman have made the scene come alive and look 3 dimensional. Excellent "double" portrait.

Very nice capture of this ventriloquist, no I have not seen this guy but I go to the Freemont Experience a lot to play tourist in my city and take pictures of the street performers, maybe I'll catch him one of those days. Good lighting and nice details. Well done, tfs.

Hello Bulent,
this is a fun shot. Great identical smiles! The dummy asked where you hailed from but did you not ask about him? Perhaps he's a Brit, judging from his jacket. The ventriloquist is wearing a paisley pattern neckerchief, Paisley being a Scottish town where the pattern originated. Good light management.
Bev

Hello Bulent
"Like father, like son" ...indeed!
You wrote "decisive moment"; maybe because both bear the same knowing smile after the abundant receipts I notice, slipped into puppet's jacket!!
What friendly smiles captured by the rules book to soften shadows!
Cheers.
Robert

This is a great portrait of the local(s)! You really captured the cheerful spirit here, the details are rich, and the background is well-suited for the scene. Congratulations and thank you for sharing the story!